Have you ever noticed that your experience on a roller coaster can change drastically
depending on where you sit in the train? After waiting extra for an illusive front row ride
you’ll often find yourself slowly hanging down a coaster’s first drop, while those
following the ‘back row is faster mentally’ will find themselves being whipped over and
down that very same drop. So why does this difference occur, is the back row truly faster,
and most importantly, what is the best seat on every roller coaster?
For some people the answer is always the same, the best row is the front row. Not only do
you get a fantastic open view, but the wind rushing against your face often gives a massively
enhanced sense of speed. On some rides, that’s exactly what you need. If you’re diving
through buildings and coming close to the nearby terrain, the front can be the perfect place.
But in an open flat field, the first row might not be important as there just isn’t much to see.
So what about the back of the train? Well naturally you often can’t see as much, so
why do so many people say a back row ride is better? To understand this we first have
to loosely understand how roller coasters work.
In most cases, roller coasters aren’t powered. They climb to a great height before gaining
speed as they plummet towards the ground. The closer to the ground the train is, the
more speed it will have. So let’s think about the centre of the train. If the centre
is at the top of the lift hill the speed of the entire train is minimal. After completing
about ¼ of the drop the speed has already begun to increase, but let's pause there.
We notice that the front of the train is approximately half way down the drop at this point, while
the back is only just cresting the top. Because the centre of the train has begun to descend
the drop, the speed of all the rows has increased. As a result, the back of the train moves over
the drop faster compared to the front only seconds ago. The back row isn’t moving faster
than the front, but it completes the same section of track later on, at a different,
in this case faster, speed. You could say that the back row is being pulled over the
drop by the weight of the train. But an opposite effect can also be noticed when travelling
up hill. Initially the front rows begin to ascend the hill while the centre of the train
is close to the ground. Here, the entire train has its maximum speed. However as the centre
begins to ascend, the entire train loses speed. This ultimately causes the back row to ascend
the same hill a few moments later at a slightly slower speed. In this case we could say that
the front of the train is initially being pushed up by hill by the rows behind it.
At this point some of you may be thinking: “if different parts of the train navigate
the track at different speeds, how do roller coaster designers make sure everyone experiences
a comfortable amount of force?”; others might now be thinking: “What is: Force?”.
Well, force is described as an interaction that will change the motion of an object.
You’ll notice on a roller coaster ride that at some points you move up and out of your
seat, while at other points you are pushed down into it. The strength of those movements
are dictated by force. As a result, the people who design roller coasters must ensure that
everyone riding doesn’t experience too much force, which may be uncomfortable, or too
little force, which will be boring. To do this, they begin by designing the ride’s
track around the centre of gravity of the train - which in more cases than not is the middle.
So let's take a classic example. We know that with the humble vertical loop the front of
the train enters first. As the centre of the train is closest to the ground at this point
it enters with the most speed. As the train begins to climb the loop it loses speed. Therefore,
the back row would enter the beginning of the very same loop with the least speed, and
therefore the least force. The train would then continue to slow down until the middle
reaches the exact top. At this point the train has the least speed. Therefore the centre
rows can be the best place to enjoy that scary hanging sensation. But as the train begins
to exit the loop, the front does it slowly while the centre is high up. As the middle
falls, the entire train gets quicker, causing the back row to leave the same loop with the
most speed and therefore the most force. Again, we could say that the front is pushed up and
into the loop by the rows behind it; while the back is dragged through the remainder
of the loop by the weight in front of it. As a result, roller coaster designers must
ensure that the higher forces sometimes experienced in the front and back of the train are comfortable
for all riders.
Therefore, not all track elements are designed around the middle of the train. A particularly
fast drop might occur at a suitable speed for those in the front and middle, but the
back of the train might traverse it too quickly. At this point, roller coaster designers would
alter the forces of the track based on the extremities of the train, in this case, the
back row. By doing this, the ride for those in the front and middle might become less
intense. The opposite could occur throughout other elements where the front row experiences
the same spike in force.
All in all though, the exact design of a roller coaster will depend on a huge amount of factors.
The length of a turn could be dictated by the space available, not by the amount of
force given to the centre of the train. Other limitations might include the design and location
of the supports holding up the track, or even the amount of stress on the track itself.
As a result, the reasons for a roller coaster’s final profile, that’s the shape the track
takes, might not even be apparent after riding it.
So to answer your question, there isn’t a single ‘best seat’ on a roller coaster.
The best position in the train will depend on the things you personally like to experience.
Maybe you prefer the front row for the extra sense of speed, or you enjoy sitting at the
back for the sensation of being pulled over large drops. By trying different seats on
a ride you’ll be able to determine the best one for you, ensuring you get the maximum
satisfaction after a lengthy wait. Or, worst of all, as you get to the end of the queue
you might not even be able to choose your own seat at all. Nevertheless, let me know
where you usually try to sit on a roller coaster in the comments down below.
Thank you for watching, and, we’ll see you all next time.